Activiteit

Crude polysaccharide extracts derived from Agaricus bisporus (A), A. brasiliensis (B), and Phellinus linteus (P) were used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, labeled AAgNP, BAgNP, PAgNP, respectively). UV and FT-IR spectra, size distribution, and zeta potential of the respective particles were recorded, and TEM and SEM-EDS characterization was done. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed maximum absorbance at 415 nm for A, at 400 nm for P, and at 420 nm for B. SEM-EDS analysis showed BAgNP to consist of almost 90% of silver, while silver content in AAgNP and PAgNP was much lower, 46.5 and 52.3%, respectively. BMS-986397 cost Individual extracts as well as the Ag-NPs were tested against a panel of clinically isolated and ATCC derived pathogens. In almost all cases minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was significantly lower than those of antibiotics, suggesting up to 100 times more effectivity. BAgNP, PAgNP, and AAgNP appeared very active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (MIC 0.19, 0.19, 0.97 μg/mL, respectively). The same nanoparticles were also very effective toward Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (MIC 0.39, 0.78, 0.97 μg/mL, respectively). Our study indicates that the bactericidal effect of PAgNP, AAgNP, BAgNP on E. coli 25922 ATCC (MBC 1.56, 0.97, 6.25 μg/mL, respectively) is significantly more pronounced than that of amoxicillin. A pure solution of colloidal silver nanoparticles showed significantly weaker microbiostatic/microbiocidal potential than all tested mushroom extracts’ AgNPs, as well as amoxicillin. Silver nanoparticles made with extracts of A, B, and P seem welcome as an addition to the inventory of antimicrobial compounds used in clinical medicine against bacterial and yeast infection.Mushroom is one of the major sources of β-glucan used in medical applications and traditional therapies. Thus, structure analysis and quantification of β-glucan content is crucial to evaluate medicinal mushrooms. Most studies concerning mushroom-derived β-glucan have been focused on β-1,3-glucans. However, recent investigations suggest that β-1,6 glucans have important roles for immunomodulating activity. Therefore, to elucidate the fine structure of various mushroom-derived β-glucans, we recently developed a novel β-1,6 glucan detection system using the function-modified recombinant β-1,6-glucanase. In this study, we performed an ELISA-like assay using modified β-1,6-glucanase and soluble dectin-1-Fc as the probes for β-1,6-glucan and β-1,3-glucan, respectively. Reactivity of ELISA to crude hot water extracts of edible mushrooms (Grifola frondosa, Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus tuoliensis, P. eryngii, P. ostreatus, Hypsizygus marmoreus, and Lentinus edodes) was compared and L. edodes showed the strongest reactivity among them. An additional 19 different products of fresh L. edodes (shiitake mushroom) commercially available in Japan were also analyzed. This revealed limited differences in amounts of β-1,6-glucan and β-1,3-glucan in each shiitake mushroom. Furthermore, structural analysis of some purified β-glucans derived from medicinal mushrooms was performed, and their action for inducing tumor necrosis factor-α production from the murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells was investigated. We found relation between reactivity to modified β-1,6-glucanase and its cytokine inducing activity. This assay could be useful for evaluating the strains of edible or medicinal mushrooms, which may be used as alternative medicines.Several medicinal mushrooms exhibit hypoglycaemic activities in vitro and in animal studies. In contrast to the high number of experimental results, only a few clinical trials and/or case reports have been published. They exist for mushrooms of the genera Agaricus, Coprinus, Ganoderma, Grifola, and Pleurotus. This article critically reviews these clinical investigations and describes which tasks need to be done to explore the potential of mushrooms for supportive treatment of type 2 diabetes.In the jubilee paper devoted to Professor Shu-Ting Chang, we aimed to outline the applicability of the Le Chatelier principle to various fields, especially to cancer biology and immunotherapy of malignant neoplasms. Cancer progression has been shown to be associated with a response to cell stress and survival agents. It was proclaimed that cancer immunotherapy, using fungal metabolites, should be carried out as a mode of compensation for imbalances that arise during the basic treatment. The challenges of immunotherapy in recent years have also received mention.This issue is dedicated to the 90th birthday of Professor Shu-Ting Chang, a prominent scientist in the field of mushroom biology, including cultivation and nutritional values of mushrooms, medicinal mushroom science, and environmental impact of mushrooms. Professor Shu-Ting Chang is also one of the initiators and has been an editor of our journal from its inception (in 1999) until now.Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major obstacle to ensure effective chemotherapy in cancer patients. Several factors could be associated with cancer cells’ drug resistance such as overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), cancer stem cells (CSCs), defect in apoptosis, mutation and alteration in DNA repair pathways, angiogenesis, autophagy, and modulation in metabolic enzymes. Until now, drug efflux by ABC transporters has been a univocal and well-established mechanism of chemotherapeutic associated drug resistance. To explore the mechanics involved in ABC transporter associated drug resistance, many crucial studies have been conducted from identification of drug binding sites to elucidation of their structure. Due to our continuous battle with drug resistance, several strategies have been employed to combat MDR, including P-gp modulators, siRNAs, antibodies, as well as peptides. Furthermore, various nanoparticle and different effective combination nanomedicine strategies also suggest some exciting results. Thus, to improve nanomedicine approaches to overcome MDR, in this evolutionary review, we have focused on fundamentals of possible strategies as well as the latest accomplishments to reverse MDR.